The Relationship between Physical Exercise and Sense of Coherence among Rural Left-behind Children of China

Sense of coherence (SOC) plays an important role in maintaining individual mental health. However, the impact of physical exercise on the SOC of rural left-behind children remains unclear. This study intends to address the status of physical exercise and SOC in rural left-behind children and analyze the relationship between the two. A random cluster sampling method was employed to investigate 804 students from grades 3-9 in Hunan Province, utilizing a physical activity rating scale and a sense of coherence scale. 18.9% of the rural left-behind children engaged in high activity. Boys scored higher than girls in terms of exercise intensity, duration, frequency, and total physical exercise score (P<0.01). The SOC score of rural left-behind children was 34.65±14.91, with boys scoring higher than girls (P=0.001). A positive correlation existed between physical exercise and the total score and three dimensions of SOC (P<0.01). Physical exercise is an effective way to enhance SOC among rural left-behind children. This finding provides a new approach for improving the SOC of left-behind children.